Raymond Z. Gallun (rhymes with "balloon") was born in rural Wisconsin in 1910. He attended one year of college at the University of Wisconsin, then left to travel in Europe. He started writing science fiction in 1929; he attained widespread recognition with Old Faithful in 1934. Also wrote stories under the name William Callahan.

(Raymond Z. Gallun)

Along with John W. Campbell, he did as much as anyone to help science fiction evolve from crude pulp stories to interesting literature. He died in 1994.

Air-Restorer Capsule
A device that re-oxygenates air in space suits.

The Planet Strappers (1961)

Airtight Tent
A temporary structure for living on an airless moon or asteroid.

Asteroid of Fear (1951)

Artificially Produced Speech
Speech produced by mechanical means, rather than with vocal chords.

Hotel Cosmos (1938)

Asbestos Sunshade
A means of shielding oneself from the sun's rays.

The Achilles Heel (1940)

Asteroid Garden
A method for building a greenhouse on a small, airless body.

Asteroid of Fear (1951)

Asteroid Homesteaders' School
An institution of learning where regular folks learned how to start a farm on an asteroid.

Asteroid of Fear (1951)

Atomic Blast Weapon
Reduces the target to atoms.

The Achilles Heel (1940)

Atomic Explosive
A handheld bomb that melted its way into an armored door, then detonated.

Hotel Cosmos (1938)

Automat
Unusual name for an intelligent robot; short for "automaton"?

Mad Robot (1936)

Chlorophane
Similar to chlorophyll but synthetic and far more efficient.

The Planet Strappers (1961)

Control Helmet
Direct control of a robot from the brain.

Dawn of the Demigods (1954)

Darkened Glass Face Plate
The use of darkened glass on the face plate of a space suit helmet to protect the wearer from solar radiation.

The Achilles Heel (1940)

Designed Bacteria - purposive genetic modification
Very early reference to the idea of bacteria designed to wipe out a particular species, and no others.

Seeds of the Dusk (1937)

Double-Pane Vacuum Window
Double-pane glass separated by vacuum.

The Achilles Heel (1940)

Emergency Space-Boat
An escape ship.

Revolt of the Star Men (1932)

Etherphone Receiver
A special earpiece to hear coded updates.

Hotel Cosmos (1938)

Evacuating Arms
Empty out the contents of an airlock exposed to space.

Space Flotsam (1934)

Gravity Detector
A device capable of detecting the gravitational field of a distant mass.

The Lunar Chrysalis (1931)

Hydroponics in Space
Growing plants for food without soil on a spacecraft.

The Planet Strappers (1961)

Inertia Tank
A device that protected its delicate contents by cushioning.

Masson's Secret (1939)