Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"SF is a controlled way to think and dream about the future."
- Gregory Benford
 |
| Flat Cat | ||
| A nearly two-dimensional furry little beast. |
| "Say, Mr. Angelo, what is this? At first I thought it was a fur cap; now I see it's alive." Castor pointed to the furry heap on the counter. It was slowly slithering toward the edge.
The shopkeeper reached out and headed it back to the middle. "That? That's a 'flat cat.' ...It has a Latin name but I never bothered to learn it. Angelo tickled it with a forefinger; it began to purr like a high-pitched buzzer. It had no discernable features, being merely a pie-shaped mass of sleek red fur... [Castor] looked down and three beady little eyes stared trustfully back up at him, then closed and disappeared completely. |
| Technovelgy from The Rolling Stones,
by Robert Heinlein. Published by Scribner's in 1952 Additional resources -
|
Okay, this isn't really a piece of technology, and it wasn't a bioengineered beast, either. However, if I included Clifford Simak's hunting robes, I should certainly put this one in, too.
Fans of Star Trek: TOS have some idea of what a flat cat is like:
Captain Kirk's "Trouble with Tribbles" (aired 1967) wasn't humanity's first encounter with disgustingly cute furballs! We just took in a copy of Robert Heinlein's "The Rolling Stones" (1952). Except these were called flatcats. #startrek #heinlein #flatcat #tribble pic.twitter.com/ZO16a0CgsO
— Book Archive, Ltd. (@BookArchiveLtd) April 12, 2022
Comment/Join this discussion ( 6 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Rolling Stones
More Ideas
and Technology by Robert Heinlein
Tech news articles related to The Rolling Stones
Tech news articles related to works by Robert Heinlein
Flat Cat-related
news articles:
- Flatcat Robot Recalls Both Heinlein And Simak
| Machete-Wielding Philodendron Isn't Going To Take It Anymore |
| Tsunami Forecasts Improved By Ionosphere Signals |
| EctoLife Concept Video Artificial Womb For Baby Mass Production |
| T. Gondii And The Leaders Of The Pack |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'
'If you surf over a bump... If you surf over a pothole...'
'Then the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and they stood an instant transfixed...'
'Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed...'
'...copy two of the original document no longer can be superimposed on copy one.'
My prize robot, tall, dashing would speak and act for me...
'A palm lock must be keyed to one individual's hand shape and palm lines.'
'I have transferred the ego of a dog to a synthetic dog brain in the skull case of a robot dog.'
