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"I wrote many novels which … contained the element of the projected collective unconscious, which made them simply incomprehensible to anyone who read them, because they required the reader to accept my premise that each of us lives in a unique world."
- Philip K. Dick
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| Cloaking Device | ||
| A force field that renders an object invisible to human eyes as well as other sensor devices. |
I can't believe this idea only dates from the 1960's. More recently, this kind of idea has been incorporated in movies like Predator and the last James Bond movie.
When the Enterprise responds to a distress call from Outpost 4, Commander Hansen reports an attack underway by a ship that simply vanished.
| You knew of the cloaking device that we have developed. |
| Technovelgy from Balance of Terror,
by Paul Schneider. Published by Paramount in 1966 Additional resources -
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The Romulans were the first ones to have it; Kirk and Spock try to steal it in the original series episode titled "The The Enterprise Incident." This episode was first broadcast in December of 1966.
To hide something a bit smaller, like a person, see the invisible cloak from Brigands of the Moon (1930) by Ray Cummings.
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'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
