Ralph 124C 41+: A Romance of the Year 2660Gernsback, Hugo
Science
Ralph 124C 41+: A Romance of the Year 2660
Gernsback, Hugo
Science fiction
Moreover, each paper had eight "pages," in separate sheets, as was the
fashion centuries ago, but eight pages literally on top of each other.
The printing process was electrolytic, no ink whatsoever being used in
the manufacture of the "newspaper." This process was invented in 1910
by an Englishman, and improved by the American 64L 52 in 2031, who made
it possible to "print" _in one operation_ eight different subjects,
_one on top of another_.
These eight impressions could be made visible only by subjecting the
"paper" to different colors, the color rays bringing out the different
prints. The seven colors of the rainbow were used, while white light
was employed to show reproduced photographs, etc., in their natural
colors. With this method it was possible to "print" a "newspaper,"
fully ten times as large in volume as any newspaper of the 21st
century, on a piece of film, the size of a postage-stamp.
Each paper published an edition every 30 minutes, and if one did not
possess a projector, one could read the "paper" by inserting the _News_
in a holder beneath a powerful lens which one carried in one's pocket,
folded when not in use. To read the eight different pages, a revolving
color screen was placed directly underneath the lens, to bring out the
different colors necessary to read the "paper."
Ralph, 124C 41+, glancing over the head-lines of his _News_, saw that
considerable space was given to his latest exploit, the paper showing
actual photographs of the Swiss Alpine scene, which a correspondent had
taken as the avalanche thundered down the mountain. The photographs
had been sent by _Teleradiograph_ immediately after the occurrence
in Switzerland, and the _News_ had printed them in all the _natural_
colors twenty minutes after Ralph had turned off the ultra-power in New
York.
These photographs seemed to be the only thing that interested Ralph,
as they showed the house and the surrounding Alps. These, with the
monstrous avalanche in progression photographed and reproduced in the
natural colors, were very impressive.
Presently he revolved the color screen of his projector to green--the
technical page of the _News_--to him the most interesting reading in
the paper.
He soon had read all that interested him, and as there was still an
hour before dinner time he began to "write" his lecture: "On the
prolongation of animal life by π-Rays."
He attached a double leather head-band to his head. At each end of
the band was attached a round metal disc that pressed closely on the
temples. From each metal disc an insulated wire led to a small square
box, the _Menograph_, or mind-writer.
He then pressed a button and a low humming was heard; simultaneously
two small bulbs began to glow with a soft green fluorescent light.
Grasping a button connected with a flexible cord to the Menograph, he
leaned back in his chair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account