Old-fashioned (short story)
Encyclopedia
Old-fashioned is a science fiction
short story
by Isaac Asimov
. The story was written at the request of Kim Armstrong, editor of Bell Telephone
Magazine, with the stipulation that it be 3,000 words and center on a problem in communications. The author claimed that he had thought up a plotline before lunch with the editor was over. The story was duly written and published in February 1976. It was illustrated by Gerald McConnell http://geraldmcconnell.org/pages/main.htm in comic book style.
, Estes and Funarelli, are badly injured when their spaceship is damaged by the tidal effects of an uncharted black hole
. Their drive and communications systems are beyond repair and they have a finite supply of food and air.
In desperation, Estes hits on the idea of going outside the ship and throwing small rocks at the black hole. This will generate bursts of x-rays which, he hopes, will be detected by radio-astronomers on Earth.
He does this several times, attempting to time the bursts so that they spell out S-O-S in Morse
code. The attempt works and within days, an unmanned drone ship with supplies arrives from Earth.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. The story was written at the request of Kim Armstrong, editor of Bell Telephone
Bell Telephone
Bell Telephone may refer to:* Bell Telephone Company, several telephone companies with similar names* Bell Telephone Building , various* The Bell Telephone Hour, a long-running radio and television concert program...
Magazine, with the stipulation that it be 3,000 words and center on a problem in communications. The author claimed that he had thought up a plotline before lunch with the editor was over. The story was duly written and published in February 1976. It was illustrated by Gerald McConnell http://geraldmcconnell.org/pages/main.htm in comic book style.
Plot summary
Two astro-miners in the asteroid beltAsteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
, Estes and Funarelli, are badly injured when their spaceship is damaged by the tidal effects of an uncharted black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
. Their drive and communications systems are beyond repair and they have a finite supply of food and air.
In desperation, Estes hits on the idea of going outside the ship and throwing small rocks at the black hole. This will generate bursts of x-rays which, he hopes, will be detected by radio-astronomers on Earth.
He does this several times, attempting to time the bursts so that they spell out S-O-S in Morse
Morse
Morse can refer to:* Morse code, a method of coding messages into long and short beeps-Places:Canada* Morse , Saskatchewan* Morse, Saskatchewan, a hamlet* Morse No...
code. The attempt works and within days, an unmanned drone ship with supplies arrives from Earth.