MathFiction: The Four Dimensional Transit (Bob Olsen)

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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The Four Dimensional Transit (1928)

Bob Olsen
(click on names to see more mathematical fiction by the same author)
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In this story with obvious influence of Jules Verne, a "four-dimensional rudder" is utilized for the purpose of "rapid transit", allowing a plane to circumnavigate the globe in just one day (though with some unintended excitement, including a visit to the moon).

Like many other "pulp sci-fi" stories of the early 20th century, this one utilizes the concept of the "fourth dimension". This story includes an emphasis on the consistency of four-dimensional geometry and "evidence" for its utility in scientific theories.

This story was published in the Fall 1928 issue of Amazing Stories. I only learned about this work of mathematical fiction (and several other similar ones by the same author) from the website mathfiction.net where a digital scan is available for download.

Available Free Online at MathFiction.net: "The Four Dimensional Transit" is available as a PDF from Vijay Fafat and Prof. Mythili Vutukuru's MathFiction.net website.

More information about this work can be found at www.mathfiction.net.
(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to The Four Dimensional Transit

According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:

The Man Who Annexed the Moon by Bob Olsen
The Four Dimensional Surgery by Bob Olsen
The Einstein See-Saw by Miles J. Breuer
The Gostak and the Doshes by Miles J. Breuer (M.D.)
Space Bender by Edward Rementer
A Victim of Higher Space by Algernon Blackwood
Plane People by Wallace West
The Shape of Things by Ray Bradbury
The Appendix and the Spectacles by Miles J. Breuer (M.D.)
A Modern Comedy of Science by Issac Nathanson

Ratings for The Four Dimensional Transit:

Ratings

Have you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.

Mathematical Content:
1/5 (1 votes)

Literary Quality:
2/5 (1 votes)

Categories:

Genre	Science Fiction,
Motif	Higher/Lower Dimensions,
Topic	Geometry/Topology/Trigonometry,
Medium	Short Stories, Available Free Online,

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Exciting News: The 1,600th entry was recently added to this database of mathematical fiction! Also, for those of you interested in non-fictional math books let me (shamelessly) plug the recent release of the second edition of my soliton theory textbook .

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)