FANTASTIC SCIENCE FACT & FICTION UNIVERSE

Magazine Overview

Title: FANTASTIC SCIENCE FACT & FICTION UNIVERSE
Issue: October 1959
Publisher: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
Price: 35c

This issue of Fantastic Science Fact & Fiction Universe presents a blend of science fiction and speculative fact, with a prominent cover story on "The Abominable Snowman" by Ivan T. Sanderson. The magazine also features complete novelets by Lester del Rey, Poul Anderson, and Robert Silverberg.

Life Form From Outer Space

The lead article, "Life Form From Outer Space" by Marla Baxter, recounts an extraordinary experience of her husband, Howard Menger, a known contactee. On September 8th and 9th, 1958, Menger was allegedly given instructions and a special filter by an individual he recognized as a contact from another planet. He was directed to a remote area in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania to film spacecraft.

Menger successfully filmed what he described as a shining, bluish metallic disc-shaped craft. More startlingly, he also captured footage of an unusual life form that was ejected from the craft. This entity, initially appearing as a small, round object, grew into a shapeless, pulsating mass that moved with a swimming-like motion. It caused the grass and weeds it passed over to turn brown and dead. In a disturbing incident, a rabbit darted into the path of this entity and was instantly killed, appearing motionless as if carved. Menger expressed fear and shock, noting that the life form seemed to withdraw after the rabbit's death.

Howard Menger's "space friends" later suggested he destroy or at least not show the portion of the film depicting the life form, as it might cause misunderstanding and fear. They explained that this life form originated from a planet that was becoming extinct and that they were seeking new habitats. The entity was described as a highly evolved, one-celled organism that required moisture and protein to grow, absorbing these from its environment, including the rabbit's blood. Menger's friends assured him that this was an experimental test and that such life forms would not be brought to Earth again.

Marla Baxter, the author, reflects on the incident, comparing the life form to a microbe or virus that requires specific conditions to activate. She discusses the broader implications of evolution, both biological and psycho-social, suggesting that humanity itself may be a 'seeder' of life across the universe, bringing improvements and adaptations to new planets. She posits that Man's next evolutionary step will be towards spiritual awareness and an understanding of his ecological relationship to all life.

The article includes photographic illustrations: one labeled "This was the Saucer from which the Life Form came," another showing "Craft landing outside of Heber, Utah," and a third depicting a "Closeup of moon, showing mountains and clouds."

Two Thousand Years of Space Travel

This section, continued from page 88, discusses early illustrations and concepts of space travel, referencing a drawing from 1889 by R. Vincrot and the works of G. Le Faure and H. de Graffigny, including their two-volume "Adventures Extraordinaries d'un Savant Russe." These works describe voyages to the Moon and asteroids, often involving propulsion methods similar to those imagined by Jules Verne.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue leans heavily into the speculative and the unexplained, with a focus on UFO sightings, alien encounters, and the potential for extraterrestrial life. The article by Marla Baxter, while recounting a personal experience, also delves into broader philosophical and scientific concepts of evolution and humanity's place in the cosmos. The inclusion of a special section on "The Abominable Snowman" and classic science fiction novelets suggests an editorial stance that embraces both the mysterious and the imaginative aspects of science and the universe.