Scandal in the Fourth Dimension

Amelia Long | published Feb, 1934

added May 18, 2024
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First Date of Publication
Feb, 1934
Original Source
Astounding Stories
Medium
Short Story
Original Language
English
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Summary: A brilliant professor finds himself in a predicament in the fourth dimension and ends up tangling with his star student, who wins over his daughter after a few hilarious events.

Story Tag Line: University professor discovers dimension of invisibility. Puts his foot in it. Noted professor legless in fourth dimension, but still kicking.

Reviews

  • Vijay Fafat
    Published on

    Professor Boswell has discovered a way of entering the fourth dimension – a dimension of invisibility – by making some geometrical patterns on the floor following arcane mathematical formulae and walking around them. But no one understands him except his star pupil, Felix Graham. Felix is in love with the professor’s beautiful daughter (obviously). A slight miscalculation by the professor renders only his lower body into the fourth dimension, thus making him a floating apparition. Felix can help him but he demands that the professor agree to giving his daughter’s hand to Felix. The indignant professor refuses. A sequence of hilarity ensues, at which point the professor surrenders unconditionally and all ends well.

    Very standard fare for pulp. Does not involve any specific mathematics except some silly hand-waving about visibility of light diminishing in even-numbered dimensions. But still a very light, enjoyable read which brings a smile of nostalgia about simpler times when such ideas could pass off with charitable reading.