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"In science fiction one can say a great many things that are unpalatable, … because it's expressed as science fiction you can slip it past their defenses."
- Frederik Pohl
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| Antigrav Boots | ||
| Footgear that negate gravity. |
Probably the first use of the term "antigrav" as a contraction of "antigravity" (which first appeared in The Vanguard of Neptune, by J.M. Walsh, in 1932).
| Johnson, Bridges and Howe stumbled in from outside, stomping the powdery snow from their thick-soled antigrav boots. |
| Technovelgy from The Day We Celebrate,
by Nelson S. Bond. Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1941 Additional resources -
|
SF great Theodore Sturgeon picked up on this word in June of the same year, in his story The Artnan Process; the Bond story was published in the January issue:
For other science-fictional methods of maintaining your footing in various low gravity situations, Compare to space-boots from The Passing of Ku Sui (1932) by Anthony Gilmore, magnetic boots from Atomic Fire (1931) by Raymond Z. Gallun, magnetic shoes from The Dual World (1938) by Arthur K. Barnes,
Steel-Lined Space Boots from Roamer of the Stars (1938) by Clyde Wilson, the neutronium slippers from Revolt on the Tenth World (1940) by Edmond Hamilton, space socks from Lost Rocket (1941) by Manly Wade Wellman, the weight shoes from The World With A Thousand Moons (1942) by Edmond Hamilton, magnetic sandals from The Warriors (1966) by Larry Niven, magnetic-soled shoes from Space Tug (1953) by Murray Leinster, the grip shoes from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Arthur C. Clarke and the flexible sprung boots from Inherit the Stars (1977) by James P. Hogan.
The ship settled down gently, her antigrav plates moaning.
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