space, put there
no doubt to annoy unwary space ships.

_Extrapolation_: The process by which a science-fiction
writer takes an established scientific fact and builds
thereon a story that couldn't happen in a million years, but
maybe 2,000,000.

_Science fiction_: A genre of escape literature which takes
the reader to far-away planets--and usually neglects to
bring him back.

_S.F._: An abbreviation for science fiction.

_Bem_: A word derived by using the first letters of the
three words: Bug Eyed Monster. Bems are ghastly looking
creatures in general. In science-fiction yarns written by
Terrans, bems are natives of Mars. In science-fiction yarns
written by Martians, bems are natives of Terra.

_The pile_: The source from which power is derived to carry
men to the stars. Optional on the more expensive space
ships, at extra cost.

_Atom blaster_: A gun carried by spacemen which will melt
people down to a cinder. A .45 would do just as well, but
then there's the Sullivan Act.

_Orbit_: The path of any heavenly body. The bodies are held
in these orbits by natural laws the Republicans are thinking
of repealing.

_Nova_: The explosive stage into which planets may pass.
According to the finest scientific thinking, a planet will
either nova, or it won't.

_Galaxy_: A term used to confuse people who have always
called it The Milky Way.

_Sun spots_: Vast electrical storms on the sun which
interfere with radio reception, said interference being
advantageous during political campaigns.

_Atomic cannons_: Things that go _zap_.

_Audio screen_: Television without Milton Berle or
wrestling.

_Disintegrating ray_: Something you can't see that turns
something you can see into something you can't see.

_Geiger counter_: Something used to count Geigers.
_Interstellar space_: Too much nothing at all, filled with
rockets, flying saucers, advanced civilizations, and
discarded copies of _Amazing Stories_.

_Mars_: A candy bar.

_Pluto_: A kind of water.

_Ray guns_: Small things that go _zap_.

_Time machine_: A machine that carries you back to yesterday
and into next year. Also, an alarm clock.

_Time warp_: The hole in time the time machine goes through
to reach another time. A