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"[Science fiction is] an integration of the mood and attitude of science (the objective universe) with the fears and hopes that spring from the unconscious."
- Gregory Benford
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| Space-Tanned | ||
| The characteristic darkening of the men of the spaceways. |
As far as I know, this is the first use of this phrase.
| Hilary’s space-tanned features hardened; the light gray of his eyes darkened. |
| From Slaves of Mercury,
by Warren Hammond. Published by Astounding Stories in 1932 Additional resources -
|
If you find yourself present at a murder on a space ship, you might well be brought before the captain - a space veteran who has spent many hours gazing out the glassite windows of his ship, exposed to the ravening electromagnetic radiations of the spaceways. As in Edmond Hamilton's 1936 story Murder in the Void:
There is another illustrative use in Static, a short story by Kent Casey in May, 1938 Astounding:
(For those who don't know, a "shavetail" is a newly minted second lieutenant, deriving for the word for a newly broken-in pack mule.)
Edmond Hamilton used a variant on this idea in his 1940 story Revolt on the Tenth World:
When they entered the lighted cabin of the craft, which was crowded with piled sacks and metal cases, a wiry old Earthman got up, stretching and yawning. His sparse hair was pure white, his face bronzed and seamed like leather by long exposure in space to unsoftened radiation.
By the time Robert Heinlein uses it in his 1941 novel Methuselah's Children it has lost its hyphen - see space tanned.
On the other hand, maybe Venusians tan more easily than Earthmen...
Half an hour later, in the captain's office, the veteran, space-tanned Venusian who was master of the Vulcan faced Rab Crane.
Young shavetails* - hadn't even got a space tan yet - insisted on being chummy...
Jimmy Crane’s voice was hoarse with passion, his worn, space-bronzed young face quivering...
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and Technology from Slaves of Mercury
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Tech news articles related to Slaves of Mercury
Tech news articles related to works by Warren Hammond
| Changesite Mineral To Be Mined On Moon By China |
| Taikonaut Tai Chi Foot Loops |
| Space Billboards Would Ruin Our View Of The Cosmos |
| Orion's 'Skip-to-M'Lou' Entry |
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'The pokkecon rang again. *The coffee’s for him?* Tsuyoshi said.'
The Jetsons imagined so much future.
'Rod placed the brain inside the panel... the horse raised its head, wiggled its ears, blinked twice, gave a tentative whinny.'
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
'Chain of hotels that specialized in non-human service.'
'But then... not every bulldozer operator works on the Moon.'
'Griff found the white and pink map distracting and switched it off using his tongue mouse.'
