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"People ask me how I do research for my science fiction. The answer is, I never do any research. I just enjoy reading the stuff, and some of it sticks in my mind and fits into the stories."
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A much earlier description of interpersonal fighting in zero-gravity is given by Arthur C. Clarke in Islands in the Sky (1952):
The first problem, of course, is to catch your opponent, which isn't easy, because if he refuses to cooperate, he can shoot off in so many directions. But
even if he decides to play, there are further difficulties.
Any kind of boxing is almost impossible, since the first
blow would send you flying apart. So the only practicable form of combat is wrestling. It usually starts
with the two fighters floating in mid-air, as far as possible from any solid object. They grasp wrists, with
their arms fully extended; after that it's difficult to see
exactly what happens. The air is full of flying limbs
and slowly rotating bodies. By the rules of the game,
you've won if you can keep your opponent pinned
against any wall for a count of five. This is much more
difficult than it sounds, for he only has to give a good
heave to send both of you flying out into the room
again. Remember that, since there's no gravity, you
can't just sit on your victim until your weight tires
him out.
Compare to the observation room recreation space from The Power Planet (1930) by Murray Leinster and rocket polo from Ra for the Rajah (1938) by John Victor Peterson. Comment/Join this discussion ( 3 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This | Additional
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Science Fiction
Timeline
Brin's 1990 Novel Earth Still Full Of Predictions
'... making the point that their likenesses, every move they made, were being transmitted.'
Gaia - Why Stop With Just The Earth?
'But the stars are only atoms in larger space, and in that larger space the star-atoms could combine to form living matter, thinking matter, couldn't they?'
Microsoft VASA-1 Creates Personal Video From A Photo
'...to build up a video picture would require, say, ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even think about it. But you aren't that fast.'
Splendid View Of Eclipse From Orbit Visualized And Repurposed By Arthur C. Clarke
'The area affected was five hundred kilometres across, and perfectly circular.'
Goldene - A Two-Dimensional Sheet Of Gold One Atom Thick
'Hasan always pitched a Gauzy - a one-molecule-layer tent, opaque, feather-light, and very tough.'
SpaceX Wants A Moonbase Alpha
'And he had been sent with troops, supplies and bombs to command Russia's most trusted post, the Moonbase.'
Vast Apartment Living Will Get Even More Vast
'What is your population', I asked. 'About eighty millions.'
NASA Wants Self-Driving Or Remote-Controlled Vehicles For Lunar Astronauts
'THE autobus turned silently down the wide street of Hydropole. Robot-guided, insulated from noise and cold...'
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