Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

The four forces (strong, weak, gravitic, electromagnetic) are still to be combined

into one system. Einstein died with the work unfinished, Hawking (although young) is

tragically ill, Dirac himself has reached the age when he really should not climb

stepladders (as I know too well; I’m not that much younger).

E = me2 everybody knows; it’s short and simple. But the Dirac equation, at

least as important, is known only to professionals-not surprising; it’s hairy and

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uses symbols a lavutan never sees.

I include it here just for record; I won’t try to explain ii. For

explanations, gel a late text on quantum inechanic~ and be prepared to learn some

not-easy mathematics. Lotsa luck!

f ff~~ + h~2 + ~J~2 + ~2] dxdydz = 1

LATE BULLETIN:

Newton’s “Constant” of Gravitation is a decreasing variable.

Just as I was about to dispatch this book MS to New York, through the good

offices of Dr. Yoji Kondo (astrophysicist NASA Goddard) I received from Dr. Thomas

C. Van Flandern a preprint of his latest results. They tend to confirm Dr. Dirac’s

1937 prediction even more closely

AND ARE RACKED UP BY TWO OTHER APPR ) ~( Ill ~ nil II~m ~ln~ (y/Ol l’U~ lOll (i~ 0

1(0/able d

((‘H S H ig oil/i tniie.

I hare just telephoned Dm-. Van Fianclern. Wit/i caution propel- to a

scientist he does not say that he has “proved” Dr. Dirac ‘s prediction … but that

data to date~s upport it; no data that he knows of contradict it-and addS that sonic

ot his colleagues disagree with him.

I don’t have to be cautious; this man has established the fact beyond any

reasonable doubt. Twenty-odd years of endless Lunar data, done by atomic (cesium)

clock, electrically-automatically timed occultations of stars, backed by both

triangulation and radar ranging, counterchecked by similar work done on the inner

planets by other astronomers at other observatories- Certainly he could be wrong. .

. and I could be elected President!

T. C. Van Flandern turns out to be the sort of Renaissance Man Dirac is, but a

generation younger (38 years). B.S. mathematics, Xavier, Cincinnati; Ph.D.

astronomy, Yale-he has three other disciplines: biochemistry, nutrition, psychiatry.

(When does he sleep?)

Reread that list of sciences affected (p. 486), then batten down the hatches! Dirac

has done it again, and the World will never be the same.

LARGER THAN LIFE

A Memoir in Tribute to

Dr. Edward E. Smith

August 1940-aback road near Jackson, Michigan- a 1939 Chevrolet sedan:

“Doc” Smith is at the wheel; I am in the righthand seat and trying hard to

appear cool, calm, fearless-a credit to the Patrol. Doc has the accelerator

floorboarded . . . but has his head tilted over at ninety degrees so that he can

rest his skull against the frame of the open left window-in order to listen by bone

conduction for body squeaks.

Were you to attempt this position yourself-car parked and brakes set, by all

means; I am not suggesting that you drive-you would find that your view of the road

ahead is between negligible and zero.

I must note that Doc was not wearing his Lens.

This leaves (by Occam’s Razor) his sense of perception, his almost

superhuman reflexes, and his ability to integrate instantly all available data and

act therefrom decisively and correctly.

Sounds a lot like the Gray Lensman, does it not?

It should, as no one more nearly resembled (in character and in ability-not

necessarily in appearance) the Gray Lensman than did the good gray doctor who

created him.

Doc could do almost anything and do it quickly and

well. In this case he was selecting and road-testing for me a secondhand car. After

rejecting numberless other cars, he approved this one; I bought it. Note the date:

August 1940. We entered World War Two the following year and quit making

automobiles. I drove that car for twelve years. When I finally did replace it, the

mechanic who took care of it asked to be permitted to buy it rather than have it be

turned in on a trade. . . because, after more than thirteen years and hundreds of

thousands of miles, it was still a good car. Doc Smith had not missed anything.